Ontario lobbyist found to have violated rules, including relating to Greenbelt [Video]

An Ontario lobbyist with close connections to Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party violated the province’s lobbying rules, according to the integrity commissioner, after requesting Greenbelt lands be removed on behalf of a client and offering government staff tickets to a hockey game.

Nico Fidani-Diker was found in non-compliance with the Lobbyists Registration Act in five separate instances, ranging from unregistered lobbying to placing public office holders in a position of conflict of interest between 2022 and 2023, the integrity commissioner confirmed Monday.

At least two of the instances of non-compliance involved a proactive and ultimately successful effort to convince the Ford government to remove sections of land from the Greenbelt for development.

The government’s decision in 2022 to remove 7,400 acres of land from the Greenbelt led to public blowback, an active RCMP investigation, an apology and reversals from Premier Ford.

The land was removed from the Greenbelt in 2022 in a move …